Binay challenges CA decision dismissing estafa vs Globe Asiatique exec

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday ordered housing lawyers to file a motion for consideration before the Court of Appeals following its decision to dismiss the syndicated estafa case against one of the executives of Globe Asiatique (GA).

“We will pursue our fight for justice for the ordinary Filipino workers who have been victimized by Globe Asiatique. We are confident the CA will reconsider its decision,” said Binay, who also chairs the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Board of Home Development Mutual (Pag-IBIG) Fund., in a statement Thursday.

In an October 5, 2012 decision, the appeals court’s Special 10th Division cleared Cristina Sagun, former head of Globe Asiatique documentation department, of liability in the syndicated estafa case, citing lack of evidence. Sagun, along with GA owner Delfin Lee and three others, were charged with the graft raps after the realty firm was found allegedly using “ghost borrowers” and “fake documents” to obtain more than P6.5 billion in loans from Pag-IBIG.

Meanwhile, HUDCC Assistant Secretary Danilo Subido, in a separate statement, called the CA decision a “hollow victory” for GA, saying that the Pampanga Regional Trial Court had already issued arrest warrants for the five accused.

“That is a hollow victory because the RTC Pampanga, which has jurisdiction of the case, has already ruled that there is probable cause against all accused, including (Christina) Sagun,” Subido said.

“The court has also issued warrants of arrest and just recently denied the accused of the motion to recall warrants and quash information against all of them,” he added.